Deadly fire ruled an accident

Posted: Tuesday, Jun 10th, 2014BY: Deborah Demander, Herald Reporter

A makeshift memorial to Jack and Mary Jarose covers the table at Kate’s, which is owned by Mary’s son and daughter-in-law, Victor and Rachel Reifon. Friends, family members and well wishers have covered Mary’s table with flowers, cards and notes of love.
(HERALD PHOTO/Deborah Demander)

EVANSTON — Officials on Friday positively identified the victims of a house fire as longtime Evanston residents Jack Jarose, 62, and his wife Mary Jarose, 63.

According to Captain Tim Overy, of the Evanston Fire Department, the preliminary autopsy shows smoke inhalation to be the primary cause of death with thermal injury as a contributing factor.

“The autopsy can take awhile,” Overy said during a press conference on Friday. “They will do toxicology and try to determine the exact cause of death.”

Lt. Bill Jeffers, of the Evanston Police Department, said the investigation would be ongoing for several weeks.

“There is still a lot of investigation that needs to be done,” he said. “Working a fire scene is incredibly difficult. You’re talking about everything being burned and numerous scenes.

“We just need the community to be patient while they (fire crews and investigators) sift through the fire scene.”

When asked about the cause of the fire, and where it began Jeffers said, “We don’t want to single out any cause at this point. It’s accidental and doesn’t seem to be suspicious.”

When questioned by the Herald about the location of the victims, Overy said, “One individual was found on the first floor, the second individual was found in the upstairs portion of the house.